The Federal Executive Council informed on Wednesday that it did not discuss the issue of the Minister of Communication and Digital Economy, Dr. Isa Pantami, whose alleged previous link with Al-Qaeda and Taliban, had led to calls for his resignation. 

Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, who briefed State House correspondents on the outcome of the council meeting presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari at the presidential villa, Abuja on Wednesday, said the issue was not raised at the meeting. 

Although Pantami attended the council meeting, remotely through video link-up Alhaji, Mohammed said the matter was not discussed at the council meeting.

Pantami, who had been embroiled in controversy over his unearthed comments endorsing both terrorist organizations, has, however, announced that he has renounced the views. 

He said during his daily Ramadan lecture at Annor Mosque in Abuja last Saturday that he now knows better about some of the comments he made in the past.

Pantami had posited that the campaign against him is politically motivated.

Correspondent Nnabuchi Okey Nnabuchi reports that the Minister of Works and Housing Mr. Babatunde Fashola also presented a memo to the council for the augmentation of the contract for the 185 kilometres Sokoto-Tambuwal-Jega-Makera Road. 

Fashola told the council that the company is seeking augmentation of the contract sum by N8.39 billion, which was approved and the reason was for price changes, essentially, between 2012 when the contract was awarded, and now. 

He said materials and costs have changed and also, the scope of works of the 85 kilometres of the road has to be changed now from rehabilitation to reconstruction because it has deteriorated from when it was awarded 12 years ago.